I really like my job. Many of my friends aren’t lucky enough to say the same. I work with the international editions of four different American health magazines, so I get to do a lot of different things and interact with a lot of different people. It’s interesting work, the hours are normal, and my coworkers are all super cool.

That being said, I sometimes feel like I should be doing something more important. I was reading Mark Bittman’s blog today, and it led me to the website for The Food Trust, a Philadelphia nonprofit. This group works toward increasing the availability of healthy food in poor neighborhoods and toward helping the people in these areas to make better food choices.

Sometime in the last year or so, I became interested in the American food system, and it amazes me how much is wrong with it. I’ve read Michael Pollan‘s books – genius! – and I’m working my way through Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes. I’ve seen Food, Inc. and Killer at Large. I have a friend who works for an environmental nonprofit and has her own organic garden.

Michael Pollan: He knows what's up.

All these things have made a huge impression on me. When I moved here in 2008, I used to spend very little time and money in the produce section at the grocery store. Now, fruits and veggies fill the bulk of my cart. (Unless I’m at the farmers market, where they fill the bulk of my tote bag, and where I never would have shopped back in the day.) Just a year ago, I scoffed at the importance of organic foods, and now I try to choose them whenever possible. (Especially eggs. Organic eggs taste a zillion times better than normal ones. They are worth the extra $2-$3, trust me.) I am definitely not rich, but I am voting in favor of organic, whole foods with my grocery spending habits. (I think I stole that concept from Food, Inc.)

At least I work with health magazines that sort of spread the message I support. Our company in particular is really big on the importance of organic, and that’s great. I just feel like I should be doing more. I’m going to be helping my friend with her garden this summer. I guess that’s a start. It’s more than the 2008 version of me would do.